Godfather of Harlem is an American crime drama television series that premiered on September 29, 2019, on Epix. The series is created by Chris Brancato and Paul Eckstein, and stars Forest Whitaker as 1960s New York City gangster Bumpy Johnson. Whitaker is also executive producer alongside Nina Yang Bongiovi, James Acheson, John Ridley and Markuann Smith. Chris Brancato acts as showrunner. On February 12, 2020, the series was renewed for a second season, which premiered on April 18, 2021. On January 13, 2022, the series was renewed for a third season, which premiered on January 15, 2023, on the rebranded MGM+. On November 29, 2023, the series was renewed for a fourth season, which premiered on April 13, 2025. In July 2026, the series was renewed for a final two-hour episode that will serve as the series finale.
The television documentary series By Whatever Means Necessary: The Times of Godfather of Harlem premiered on November 8, 2020.
Premise Godfather of Harlem tells the fictionalized story of infamous crime boss Bumpy Johnson, "who in the early 1960s returned from ten years in prison to find the neighborhood he once ruled in shambles. With the streets controlled by the Italian mob, Bumpy must take on the Genovese crime family to regain control. During the battle, he forms an alliance with Muslim minister Malcolm X, catching Malcolm's political rise in the cross-hairs of social upheaval and a mob war that threatens to tear the city apart."
Cast and characters Main
Forest Whitaker as Ellsworth Raymond "Bumpy" Johnson, a Harlem-based mob boss and the titular "Godfather of Harlem" Nigél Thatch (seasons 1–2) and Jason Alan Carvell (season 3; guest season 4) as Malcolm X, a Muslim minister in the Nation of Islam and civil rights activist Ilfenesh Hadera as Mayme Hatcher Johnson, Bumpy's wife Lucy Fry as Stella Gigante, Vincent's rebellious daughter Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Teddy Greene (season 1), an aspiring musician and Stella's boyfriend Rafi Gavron as Ernie Nunzi (seasons 1–2), a violent associate of Vincent's and a high-ranking member of the Genovese crime family, one of the Five Families Antoinette Crowe-Legacy as Elise Johnson, Bumpy's heroin-addicted daughter-turned Muslim Giancarlo Esposito as Adam Clayton Powell Jr. (season 1; recurring seasons 2–3), a politician who represents Harlem in Congress Vincent D'Onofrio as Vincent "Chin" Gigante (seasons 1–2; guest seasons 3–4), the mob boss of the Genovese crime family and Bumpy's main rival Erik LaRay Harvey as Del Chance (seasons 2–4; recurring season 1), one of Bumpy's most trusted enforcers Demi Singleton as Margaret Johnson (season 2; recurring seasons 1, 4; guest season 3), Bumpy's granddaughter Michael Raymond-James as Joseph Colombo (season 4; recurring season 3), the mob boss of the Colombo crime family, one of the Five Families
Recurring
Guest
Episodes
Season 1 (2019)
Season 2 (2021)
Season 3 (2023)
Season 4 (2025)
Production Development In October 2017, a prequel television series to the 2007 film American Gangster was confirmed to be in development, with Forest Whitaker attached to star as Ellsworth "Bumpy" Johnson. On April 25, 2018, it was announced that Epix had given the production a series order for a first season consisting of ten episodes. The series was written by Chris Brancato and Paul Eckstein who executive produces alongside Whitaker, Nina Yang Bongiovi, James Acheson, and Markuann Smith, with Brancato acting as the showrunner. Production companies involved with the series include ABC Signature Studios and Significant Productions.
On June 19, 2018, it was reported that John Ridley would direct the first episode of the series. The first season premiered on September 29, 2019.
On February 12, 2020, the series was renewed for a second season, which premiered on April 18, 2021.
On January 13, 2022, the series was renewed for a third season, which premiered on January 15, 2023.
On November 29, 2023, the series was renewed for a fourth season, which premiered on April 13, 2025.
On July 1, 2026, the series was renewed for a final two-hour episode that will serve as the series finale.
Casting Alongside the initial series announcement, it was confirmed that Forest Whitaker would star in the series as Bumpy Johnson. In September 2018, it was announced that Vincent D'Onofrio, Ilfenesh Hadera, Antoinette Crowe-Legacy, Nigél Thatch, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Lucy Fry and Paul Sorvino had been cast in starring roles. In October 2018, it was reported that Giancarlo Esposito and Rafi Gavron had joined the cast in a series regular capacity. On January 8, 2019, it was announced that Kathrine Narducci had been cast in a recurring role.
In March 2021, Justin Bartha, Annabella Sciorra, Ronald Guttman, Isaach de Bankolé, Method Man, Michael Rispoli and Grace Porter were announced to have joined the cast for the second season. In May, Whoopi Goldberg was announced to appear in a guest role.
On July 25, 2022, Paul Sorvino died shortly before the third season began production.
In August 2024, Rome Flynn was announced to have joined the cast for the fourth season. In September, Michael Benjamin Washington and Elijah Wright were announced to have joined the cast.
Filming Principal photography for the series reportedly began in September 2018 in New York City.
Reception Critical response For the first season, the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 92% approval rating with an average rating of 7.50/10, based on 25 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads: "As sharply dressed as it is smartly written, Godfather of Harlem walks familiar blocks to its own beat and makes a strong first impression." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the season a score of 72 out of 100, based on 10 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Cheryl Kahla of The South African said: "The Godfather of Harlem is an excellent example of what modern television is capable of today. Whitaker's character Bumpy is a drug kingpin but also just a man trying to make sense of the world and connect with his family".
Accolades Year Award Category Nominee Result Ref. 2019 NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Drama Series Godfather of Harlem 2020 Black Reel Awards for Television Outstanding Drama Series Godfather of Harlem Outstanding Actor, Drama Series Forest Whitaker Outstanding Supporting Actor, Drama Series Giancarlo Esposito Outstanding Directing, Drama Series John Ridley NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Drama Series Godfather of Harlem Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series Forest Whitaker Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Giancarlo Esposito Nigel Thatch Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Main Title Design Mason Nicoll, Peter Pak, Giovana Pham and Cisco Torres 2022 NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Drama Series Godfather of Harlem Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series Forest Whitaker Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Giancarlo Esposito Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series Carl Seaton (for "The Bonanno Split") 2024 Writers Guild of America Awards Episodic Drama Chris Brancato & Michael Panes (for "Our Black Shining Prince")
Docuseries A documentary series titled By Whatever Means Necessary: The Times of Godfather of Harlem premiered on November 8, 2020, and concluded on November 29, 2020. Directed by Keith McQuirter, the miniseries examines the history of Harlem during the 1960s as depicted during the first season of Godfather of Harlem. McQuirter won the 2021 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Directing in a Documentary (Television or Motion Picture) for his work on the series.
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